The Five Scarves - Scarves Assemble Part 1
by RaceProUK
Summary: (Book 1 of 3, Part 1 of 5) Two new recruits are among the most recent inductees into the Red Scarves. One is the son of two veteran Scarves, the other a runaway seeking his own path. However, an unexpected revelation causes the latter to question whether he is doing the right thing…
1. Chapter 1

[7 years before the Brevon Incident]

Deep within the headquarters of the Red Scarves, in a Spartan yet comfortable section of the barracks, an alarm clock begins its shrill buzzing, only to be silenced a moment later by the blond-haired ochre badger to whom it belongs. It is the child's first day of training, and he's been up since dawn, unable to sleep longer, the excitement and anticipation overriding his circadian rhythm.

Dressing with haste, the badger darts out of his room into the corridor, narrowly avoiding being bowled over by a few of his fellow new inductees. Once the coast is clear, he sets off in the same direction. A moment later however, he remembers he left his scarf in his room. He turns back immediately to retrieve the signature scarlet neckwear of the guild, fitting the garment as he returns to the corridor and resumes his journey.

* * *

Around the corner, a silver leporid with jet black hair is equally eager to begin his first day of training, but his excitement is tempered by a nervousness he last felt when starting school six years previous. Pausing in his room until the noise of passing inductees dies down, the hare slips out into the corridor. Distracted fiddling with his scarf, he fails to notice the badger running directly towards him. The badger tries to stop in time, but his momentum is too great: he slams into the hare, and they hit the ground together.

"Watch where you're going!" the hare snaps as he picks himself up.

"You wandered right in front of me!" the badger protests as he too stands.

"Maybe if you weren't running around like an idiot, you would have seen me!" the hare retorts.

"Maybe if you were paying attention to your surroundings, you would have seen me!" the badger counters.

"Now boys, no need to squabble!" a female vole interrupts, her voice stern yet friendly. "Save that energy for later. Believe me, you'll need it."

The boys turn to face the newcomer. "Sorry," they apologise in unison.

"Don't worry about it," the vole assures. "Now, let's get you to the induction. After all, you don't want to be late!"

As the three set off in the direction of the induction, the vole can't help but feel she knows the badger already. "Forgive me for prying," she starts, addressing the badger, "but you wouldn't happen to be Elias's son, would you? You look a lot like him."

"You know my father?" the badger asks.

"He's more well-known than he lets on," the vole explains. "The Brocks have quite a legacy, as I'm sure you're aware… Danny, is it?" The badger nods. The vole turns her attention to the hare. "You're in luck here Rob."

"Am I?" Rob asks.

"Is he?" Danny asks.

"Of course!" the vole answers. "The Brock heritage will make it easy for you to settle in, and you can help Rob settle in too," she explains to Danny.

"But-" Danny begins.

"But nothing," the vole interrupts. "I don't want to pull rank on you, but I will if I have to."

"Pull rank?" Danny asks.

"I'm Senior Scarf Natalie Morris," the vole explains. "So, will you be Rob's friend?"

Danny considers his options. A moment later, he shrugs in agreement.

"Excellent!" Natalie chimes. "Now don't waste any more time: induction starts in twenty minutes!"

After Natalie's gentle encouraging nudge, Rob and Danny set off at a measured run, directly to the induction.

"Couldn't resist, could you?" a new voice asks Natalie, its male vole owner appearing beside her.

"Come off it, Solomon," Natalie smiles back. "We recruited Rob, it's only fair we help him get a good start."

"Can't argue with that," Solomon chuckles. "And I can't think of a better start than making friends with a Brock. After all, learning the truth about the Scarves can come as quite a shock…"


	2. Chapter 2

With the first day of training over, Rob and Danny return to the barracks with the other inductees. Many of them head straight to their rooms to sleep off the day's exertions. A few however, Rob and Danny included, congregate in a common room to massage their aching muscles.

"By the Ancients, Senior Morris wasn't kidding about needing our energy," Rob sighs as he flops onto one of the sofas.

"Now I see why my parents insisted on all that training before I joined," Danny agrees, fetching a couple of bottles of water from a nearby fridge, handing one to Rob as he takes the seat next to the weary hare.

"That would explain why you're still able to walk properly," Rob quips. "Your parents are Scarves too?"

"Elias and Haylee Brock," Danny confirms. "We Brocks have been around almost since the very beginning of the Scarves, and we've built quite a legacy for ourselves. What about your parents? Are they Scarves too?"

Rob responds with a snort of derision. "Hardly: they're spiritualists."

"So what made you want to be a Scarf?" Danny asks.

"Long story," Rob sighs. "Let's just say I had to run away so they couldn't dictate my life, and the Scarves was the only choice."

"That's one of the good things about the Scarves," Danny comments. "They accept pretty much everyone who wants to be one."

"Yeah…" Rob tails off.

"Having second thoughts?"

"No. Well, a little. Maybe. I mean…"

"'Sometimes doing the right thing means doing the wrong thing'," Danny quotes. "That as one of the first things my parents taught me."

"I guess…"

"I wouldn't worry too much about it now anyway," Danny assures. "We've still got twelve weeks of training ahead of us. If you make it through that, you'll want to stay."

"Given the other choice is going back home and being forced into all that spiritual nonsense, I get the feeling you're right," Rob agrees. "Speaking of training, is every day going to be this intense?"

"Pretty much," a new voice answers. "Though you do get one day a week to rest and recover, and a four-day break halfway through."

Rob looks over his shoulder to see Senior Solomon Silvestri behind him. "Well, there's one thing I know for sure," he sighs. "At the end of this I'll either be fitter than I've ever been, or I'll be dead," he quips deadpan.

"You'll be fine," Solomon assures. "Just remember, it's worth it all at the end."

"I hope so," Rob replies.

"And remember, if you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to come to me or Natalie," Solomon offers. "That applies to both of you."


	3. Chapter 3

Six weeks into the twelve-week training programme, Rob and Danny are both relieved to be starting their four-day break. The timing is ideal for Danny: his parents are due to leave on an extended undercover mission in Shuigang on the second of the four days. So on the first of the four days, the Brocks spend the day as a family, and while Rob is invited to join them, he politely declines, instead electing to spend the day in the Scarves' extensive library, specifically among the engineering books.

* * *

Mid-afternoon, and Rob's stomach reminds him rather loudly that he missed lunch. Stretching as he stands, he collects the two books he was studying. After checking them out, he makes straight for the mess hall, and after a quick late lunch, he takes the books back to his quarters. However, an hour later, Rob tires of studying. Needing to relax, he decides to go for a walk around the botanical gardens.

As Rob walks through the gardens, he cannot help but let his mind wander. He replays the events over the last few months that have led him to join a guild whose members claim honour and innocence, yet who's reputation is soaked in blood. _Senior Morris claims the rumours are just 'exaggeration and tabloid slander', but with all this combat and survival training, it feels like she wasn't telling the whole truth._

Lost in his thoughts, Rob almost bumps into two veteran Scarves, changing direction and taking a different path just in time to avoid them. But just as he's about to fall out of earshot, he hears something that gives him pause. Curious, he hides behind a shrubbery to eavesdrop.

"How far away did you say you were?" the first veteran, a red panda, asks.

"Over a hundred feet!" the second, a giant panda, boasts.

"No way you got a shuriken kill at that range," the first doubts.

Rob's blood turns to ice. _A kill? So the rumours… No, this can't be normal._

"I'll prove it to you," the second retorts.

"I'll get the popcorn," the first quips.

"I haven't lied about the other seventeen kills. Why would I lie about my eighteenth?"

"Maybe because I'm catching up? Yesterday I hit fifteen."

"Fifteen? No way! How did you catch up that quickly?"

"The dead don't give chase."

"The media's going to be all over that, y'know."

"Yeah, but they'd blame us anyway, so why hold back?"

Rob fights back his growing nausea. _I can't believe what I'm hearing… They're_ boasting _about how many people they've killed… I have to get out of here!_ Rob emerges from behind the shrubbery and immediately heads for the nearest exit. _I have to find Danny: he'll tell me what's_ really _going on around here…_


	4. Chapter 4

For the rest of the afternoon, Rob hides in his room, unable to relax after what he had heard in the botanical gardens. _Talking about killing so casually… they can't be typical of the Scarves. Can they? They've been blamed for so much… No, it can't be normal. There must be some mistake. Danny will set the record straight. I hope…_

As afternoon turns into evening, Rob realises he's getting hungry again. Reluctantly, he leaves his room and starts to slowly make his way to the mess hall, sticking to the shadows where he can. But just outside the mess hall, he spots the two pandas from the botanical gardens. Fighting back a fresh wave of nausea, he ducks into hiding.

A few minutes later, Danny arrives. Confused about why Rob is hiding, he approaches with caution. "Why are you hiding?" he asks when close enough.

Rob almost leaps out of his fur in surprise. "Oh, it's you," he breathes in relief.

"What's the matter?" Danny asks, concerned. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"No, it's just… I need to ask you something."

"Ask away."

"Not here, elsewhere."

 _What's going on?_ "OK, but can we get food first?"

"Sure, but… I don't want to eat here."

 _Something has Rob_ really _spooked._ "If you insist. I'll get two to go, then back to yours?"

"OK."

* * *

Thirty minutes later, the two friends are in Rob's room. Danny's meal is fully consumed, while Rob's lies half-eaten.

"It's obvious something's really troubling you," Danny prompts. "What is it?"

"Well…" Rob swallows hard, fighting back a mild nausea. "I was walking through the gardens earlier, and I overheard these two older Scarves talking about…"

"About what?"

"About how many people they've killed."

"I see."

"That's not normal. Tell me that's not normal."

"No it isn't."

"So the Scarves aren't killers?"

 _Oh boy…_ Danny takes a deep breath. "There's some things that are normally kept from trainees-"

"So it's _true?_ "

Danny pauses a moment. "Yes, but-"

" _How could you not tell me?_ "

"Because it's not my place to do so."

Rob tears off his scarf and discards it on the floor. "I can't stay here."

"What?"

"I'm no killer, never will be. And I won't be part of a guild that kills for pleasure."

Before Danny can respond, Rob runs out of his room, and doesn't stop running until he's deep into Jade Creek.


	5. Chapter 5

Midnight, and the rain in Jade Creek is heavy. Rob seeks shelter in a small cave deep within the creek located at the edge of a plateau. Soaked to the skin, the hare desperately tries to start a fire with what little is available to him. But despite his best efforts, the damp kindling he gathered just won't catch light.

 _Ancients damn it!_ Rob discards the kindling in frustration after yet another failed attempt to light it. In a vain attempt to warm up, he huddles in a corner, wrapped tightly in a couple of the oversized leaves he was able to wrestle from one of the more unusual examples of the local flora. It took several tries to get just the two leaves, as most of the plants rose into the air before Rob could detach a leaf.

 _I need to figure out what to do…_ Shivering from the cold, Rob tries to concentrate. _I can't go back to the Scarves, as I'm not a killer, and never will be. But neither can I go home, as that would mean being forced to follow my father's footsteps. It seems my only other choice is to live rough, but I tried that already… and it just led me to a guild of murderers._

Unable to stand the cold any longer, Rob decides to try lighting the kindling again. To his great relief, it's just about dry enough to catch light. Gently nurturing the tiny flames, Rob slowly but surely builds a sustainable fire. Leaving wood nearby to dry in the heat, he basks in the warmth of the fire, feeling his fur and clothing dry.

Half an hour later, and with the fire burning nicely, Rob is finally warm and dry enough to relax. Discarding the leaves a safe distance from the fire, he moves towards the mouth of the cave and stares out at the night sky. A few minutes later, the rain stops. Rob takes advantage of the change in weather to forage for sustenance. There's not much around, but Rob manages to find enough to get him through the night. Retiring to the cave, he consumes his small repast of berries.

With his hunger satiated for now, and his thirst slaked by rainwater, Rob begins work on a makeshift bed. Within a few minutes, he's lashed together some sturdy branches in two tripods, and suspended one of the two leaves between them as a primitive hammock. And with a final fuelling of the fire, Rob carefully climbs into his hammock. Using the other leaf as a blanket, he settles down to sleep.

Sleep however doesn't come. Five minutes after settling, Rob is interrupted by an unexpected visitor. "Hello?" he asks quietly.

The strange leopard turns at the sound of the voice. Her expression is hard to make out in the dim light of the fire, but it's clearly not friendly. "This cave is mine now," she growls.

"We can share?" Rob offers.

The leopard's expression darkens. "Get lost, runt."

"I can help you make a bed?"

"Last chance kid. Leave now, or you won't leave at all."

Rob looks out of the cave to see the rain has started again. "It took me over an hour to get dry… If you're in trouble, you don't have to tell me anything."

"Then I shall feast on rabbit," the leopard growls malevolently, salivating.

Rob fights down the panic. He quickly scrambles out of the hammock, snatches up a thick stick, and lights the end in the fire. "Look, we can work something out…"

But the leopard isn't listening: she pounces straight for Rob's throat.


	6. Chapter 6

Rob side-steps the pounce, swinging the flaming stick as the leopard flies past, singeing the leopard's fur. Snarling, the leopard turns to pounce again.

An arrow flies into the cave, striking the leopard in the left shoulder.

Howling in pain and fury, the leopard turns and sprints out of the cave, another arrow tearing through the flesh of her other arm as she exits. Fuelled by agony and rage, the leopard continues her charge, but to no avail. Two more arrows puncture her chest and stomach. Mortally wounded, the leopard slows and collapses face down in the mud.

Rob slowly creeps to the edge of the cave. "Whoever you are, thank you," he calls into the rain.

"You're welcome," a friendly female voice calls back.

Rob looks to the source of the voice, but all he can see is a vague silhouette. "Are you alone?"

"My husband and son are nearby," the voice calls back, getting clearer as its owner approaches the cave. "As soon as Danny told us what happened, we came to look for you. Lucky we found you when we did."

 _Danny?_ "Haylee Brock?"

"Correct," Haylee replies, close enough now for Rob to see her properly. "And you must be Rob Stiil."

"Correct," Rob confirms, returning the flaming stick to the fire. "I'm not coming back," he adds.

"Only because you don't know the truth," Haylee explains as she enters the cave. "Give me ten minutes, and I promise you'll see the Scarves for who they really are."

* * *

Ten minutes later, and Rob and the Brocks are all sat around the fire. Rob is lost in thought, the Brock family patiently awaiting his reaction.

"It's a lot to take in," Rob eventually breathes.

"It's not easy to get your head around," Danny agrees. "I had the advantage of being born into it."

"It's something all Scarves have to get used to, one way or another," Elias adds. "Even in a lineage as long as the Brocks, we still all struggle at first. But eventually we figure it out."

"When I found out, after a year in the Scarves, I almost left out of disgust," Haylee reveals. "But I didn't rush into a decision, I gave myself a few days to think it over."

"What made you change your mind?" Rob asks.

"A few things," Haylee begins. "First, I learned that morality is not and cannot ever be black and white: there's always going to be a grey area, and that's where the Scarves operate. Second, I realised that I didn't have to kill if I didn't want to. The choice is mine and mine alone: no-one is ever forced to kill. And third," she smiles, looking sidelong and cheekily at Elias, "I met this guy who just wouldn't leave me alone."

"Oh boy," Danny sighs in amusement, even if he is feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Does it get easier the more you do it?" Rob asks suddenly. "Killing, that is."

"That's hard to answer," Elias replies. "For some, like those two 'charming' pandas you overheard, it does get easy to the point of casual. But for the majority of Scarves, it's something we do with reluctance, and while it does get a little easier, we never let ourselves become detached or merciless. By retaining the discomfort, we know that when we do take a life, it's because there was no other choice."

"So, the leopard…" Rob begins.

"I didn't want to kill her," Haylee explains with genuine sadness. "I tried to only wound her, but it wasn't even slowing her down… It was kill or be killed, and… well… I have a family."

"There's one other thing you should think about," Elias adds. "I know you're in two minds about returning to HQ, but it's clear you're comfortable with using your Scarves training."

Rob looks around the cave, noting both the fire and the makeshift hammock. "I guess…"

"So the big question is, will you come back with us?" Haylee asks.

Rob pauses to think a moment. "It seems I have three choices. One, return to Shang Tu and my old life. Two, live rough like this. Or three, return to the Scarves and have the opportunity to follow my own path, even though it would mean supporting murderers." Rob pauses again. "I think I'll give the Scarves a chance," he decides. "It's the least crap option."

"You may not think so now, but one day, you'll realise that you made the right choice," Elias assures, handing Rob's scarf to him.

Rob takes it and ties it in place. "I hope so."


	7. Chapter 7

With their second six weeks of training at an end, it's time for Rob and Danny to receive details of their graduation mission in a small briefing room mid-afternoon. Danny arrives first, a little early, Rob arriving a couple of minutes later.

"Well, it's finally arrived," Rob greets. "I have to admit, I never thought I'd last."

"I'm glad you did," Danny greets in return. "I know you still have some misgivings."

"True," Rob agrees, "but your parents' explanation of who the Scarves really are is helping me deal with them. To think, this time tomorrow, assuming all goes well, we'll be full Scarves, free to pursue whatever path we choose."

The boys' conversation is brought to a halt by the arrival of the Scarf who summoned them: Leader Tracy Metharom. "Good afternoon lads," she greets.

"Afternoon, ma'am," the boys reply formally.

"You must be excited to be getting your graduation assignment," Tracy smiles.

"Aye, ma'am," Danny replies as Rob hesitates.

"Are you not excited Rob?" Tracy asks.

"Yes ma'am," Rob answers. "It's just…"

"Ah yes, of course," Tracy recalls. "Your friend's parents filled me in on your misgivings. Don't worry, this isn't that sort of mission: this one is purely reconnaissance. Now, both of you take a seat, and we'll get started."

* * *

An hour later in Rob's room, he and Danny are going over the briefing package Tracy had given them earlier.

"I'm feeling really uneasy about this mission," Rob admits.

"How come?" Danny asks.

"This temple we're to break into, I know it," Rob explains.

Danny looks up from the document he's holding. "That's an advantage, surely?"

"I guess, but…"

"You can tell me."

Rob takes a deep breath. "It's my father's temple."

"Ah, I see." Danny pauses a moment to think. "I doubt we'll run into him," he concludes. "We should be in and out before anyone turns up."

"I know," Rob sighs. "It's just…"

"It's not too late to request an alternative mission. I'm OK with taking this one solo, and I'm sure Leader Metharom will be able to find something else for you."

"Do you think we were assigned this mission deliberately?"

"I doubt it," Danny concludes. "I don't see anyone with the same surname as you."

"'Rob Stiil' isn't my real name," Rob admits.

"Really?" Danny asks in surprise. "What _is_ your real name?"

"Promise to never tell anyone?"

"Promise."

Rob takes a moment to compose himself. "Robin Tolina."

Danny looks at the document he's holding again. "That would make Isaac Tolina your father."

"Yeah…"

The two friends share a brief silence.

"Who else knows your real name?" Danny asks.

"In the Scarves? Just you," Rob answers.

"Then it's purely coincidence," Danny concludes.

"How so?"

"Isn't it obvious? Everyone here knows you as 'Rob Stiil', so they won't have made the connection to Isaac."

Rob pauses a moment in thought. "I guess you're right… That actually makes things easier."

"And like I said, we'll be in and out before anyone else turns up."

"And we'll probably have time to spare too."

"Exactly."

"Then I won't worry about it any longer," Rob decides.


	8. Chapter 8

Before dawn the following morning, Rob and Danny depart for Shang Tu, arriving at the temple just over an hour before the first workers are scheduled to arrive. Having a whole hour to complete the mission is generous: for an experienced Scarf, the job would take just fifteen minutes. But even accounting for the inexperience of Regulars-elect, the mission was expected to be complete long before the hour is done. And just thirty-five minutes in, Rob and Danny have what they came for.

Without warning, one of the temple workers arrives. Rob hesitates at the sight of his father.

"Come on Rob!" Danny hisses. "We have to go now!"

"You go, I'll catch up," Rob replies.

"But-"

"There's something I have to do. Trust me, I'll be fine."

* * *

Ten minutes later, Rob reunites with Danny a few blocks south of the temple, where they had left the dirt bikes they had been issued with.

"So, who was that that got you so spooked?" Danny asks.

"That was my father," Rob explains.

"Do you think he suspected anyone was there?"

"He had no clue until I spoke to him."

" _What?_ " Danny exclaims. "Why did you do that?"

"I'll explain once we've escaped from those sirens," Rob promises.

* * *

An hour later, with the chasing police long since lost, Rob and Danny pull up at the shore of the lake in the middle of Jade Creek, taking shelter from the rain in an abandoned building built into the hillside.

"Nice place," Danny mutters sarcastically.

"It's not so bad," Rob observes. "Just needs some work, and it'll be a piece of crap."

"I'll take your word for it," Danny replies. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"What did you say to your father?"

Rob pauses a moment to organise his thoughts. "I told him the truth. I told him that Robin Tolina is no more, and that I am Rob Stiil of the Red Scarves."

"Sounds like you're in it for the long haul then."

"Yeah," Rob sighs contentedly. "It's as your dad said: one day I'd know I made the right choice. And that day is today."

"If I may ask, why today?"

"I don't really know," Rob explains. "I guess… I guess what I really needed to know is if my fa- is if Isaac would accept me for who I am."

"And?"

"He won't."

"But the Scarves will, and the Scarves do."

"Exactly. Though I'm still not keen on the whole murdering thing."

"That part's optional."

"Thank the Ancients."

The sound of an approaching engine interrupts their conversation. "Ah, that'll be our contact," Danny concludes.

"Then let's finish this mission and get back home."

"And home would be…?"

"Red Scarves HQ, of course!"

"Of course," Danny smiles.


End file.
